Snow removal machines typically include housings with a forward opening through which material enters the machine. At least one rotatable member (auger) is typically positioned and rotatably secured within the housing for engaging and eliminating the snow from within the housing. Snow blower technology is generally focused on (1) a single-stage mechanisms in which rotation of augers, flights, or brushes contact and expel, or throw, the snow in a single motion, or (2) a two-stage mechanism in which rotation of augers move loosened snow toward a separate impeller that expels, or throws, the snow. Impellers are usually devices such as discs and blades that are shaped and configured such that when rotated they receive materials (snow) and then centrifugally discharge the materials through openings in the housings and then into chutes that control and direct the materials. Both the single- and two-stage snow throwers often require significant force to move the snow thrower forward through the snow unless the snow thrower includes a transmission to drive the snow thrower. This resulting forward movement pushes, or otherwise compacts, the snow into the housing if driven forwardly at a pace that is too quick. When this happens, the single- and two-stage snow throwers often bog down or become overburdened due to snow accumulation within the housing.
Typical two-stage, three-stage, and more, snow throwers utilize an impeller for expelling snow from a housing, wherein the impeller rotates at a continuous rotational velocity such that the distance that the snow is thrown from the snow thrower is substantially constant within each use (understanding that the characteristics of the accumulated snow after each snowfall is often different, such as a “heavier” or “wetter” snow or the like). When snow throwers are used between walls of adjacent buildings or between adjacent structures, the chute of the snow thrower is often directed forwardly (in the direction of travel) to avoid throwing snow onto either of the adjacent structures. However, when the chute is directed forwardly, this results in snow being required to be removed—or thrown—multiple times before it is finally thrown off of the surface being cleared. This re-circulation of thrown snow repeatedly increases the load on the engine as the thrown snow often lands on top of the accumulated snow, thereby doubling (or more) the depth of the snow needing to be cleared.